Reminders about the TWKDMS Dance tonight: 1. The dance starts at 6:30, and students must arrive by 7:00 (we will not admit new students after 7:00). 2. The dance is over at 9:00 pm, and students wishing to leave early need to have their parents contact Mr. Long. 3. This is a Halloween-themed dance, and school-appropriate costumes are allowed. However, students planning to wear costumes should bring a change of clothes in case Mr. Long decides, for any reason, that their costume is not a good fit for the dance. 4. Students must be ELIGIBLE (passing all classes as of the last grade check) to attend the dance. 5. Unlike elementary dances, parents may not stick around unless they are pre-approved chaperones (you can come in and take a quick picture, but that is it). 6. There are snacks for sale, so a little pocket money wouldn't hurt. If you have any questions, give us a call at 562-7552. Go Cougars!
about 1 month ago, Jason Long
Dear RSU 56 Parents/Guardians,
Friends of the River Valley is a nonprofit organization that seeks to better the lives of kids living in the River Valley. They help sponsor a number of activities (including the DDF Toy Drive and the DES Bryant Pond trip for grade 5 students), and are looking for some input from parents in our area. If you are willing, please take this SHORT survey to provide this organization with information and insight regarding the needs and strengths in our area.
Click on the link below to take the survey:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc-AMGwIVWrent5UNkHd1zex2vdtSiWNBl_lU5fri2kOpQakQ/viewform?usp=headerabout 1 month ago, Jason Long
TWKDMS is having a food drive next week! All food collected will be used to restock the TWKDMS food pantry for our school's use during the year. The kids will earn "points" as part of the grade vs grade spirit week competition. We are collecting anything non-perishable, but the most useful contributions are: boxes of granola bars, cereals, macaroni and cheese, and other things that are ready or eat or simple to prepare/cook. If you want to contribute as a community member, we recommend giving your food to a TWKDMS student to bring in as part of the competition. This is only a one-week challenge - so let's stock up and Go Cougars!
about 1 month ago, Jason Long
Attention Parents/Guardians: Students are coming home today with a blue paper that has instructions for Parent Teacher Conference sign-ups (first-come, first-served, starts online at 7:00 am on Friday, see the paper for more details) and information about our upcoming Veterans' Day luncheon. (After my pink hair experience last spring, please forgive the remaining bleached top) Go Cougars!
about 2 months ago, Jason Long
The PTO and Student Council are excited to announce our fourth annual TWKDMS Veterans’ Luncheon on Monday, November 10th, 2025. It will be at the school from 1:00 pm until 2:30 pm. As is our tradition, any TWKDMS student may invite a Veteran in their life to join us for a spectacular free Thanksgiving-style lunch by contacting the Main Office at 562-7552. Please RSVP by Friday, October 31, 2025. Go Cougars!
about 2 months ago, Jason Long
Get ready for our spirit week!
about 2 months ago, Lisa Sanborn
about 2 months ago, Lisa Sanborn
Attention Parents/Guardians: Parent Teacher Conference sign ups start at 7:00 am on Friday, 10/24/25. The link (
https://bit.ly/PTCTWKDMS) will NOT work until that time.
The conference dates are Monday, November 10, 2025, from 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. , and Thursday, November 13, 2025, from 3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Sign-ups start ONLINE at 7:00 a.m. on Friday, October 24, 2025. Appointments are booked on a first-come, first-served basis.
Call the school at 562-7552 if you need help signing up or to make changes. However, no signs up will happen before the portal goes live this Friday at 7:00 am.
about 2 months ago, Jason Long
Our picture retake day is Tuesday, October 28th. Photographers will be set up by 8:00 AM.
about 2 months ago, Lisa Sanborn
Attention Parents/Guardians: Save the Date - TWKDMS Parent-Teacher Conferences will take place over two days, approximately one month from now. Day #1 Monday, 11/10/25 from 4:00-7:30 pm, and Day #2 Thursday, 11/13/25 from 3:00-6:00 pm. We will run a sign-up process in a couple of weeks. Go Cougars
about 2 months ago, Jason Long
Dear TWKDMS Parents/Guardians: We need your help.
We have seen a major uptick in students bringing energy drinks and Dunkin' into the school. It is not our business to tell parents what to give or not give their children to consume, but we are having an issue: When these spill, it makes a sticky mess.
We already have a rule that only water (sparkling or regular) may be consumed in classrooms. So, what is happening is the kids are putting their half-drank OPEN containers in their lockers. You can guess what happens next. Yuck.
As a fair warning, we need students to finish drinking anything open (other than water) before they go to homeroom at 7:45. If they cannot finish it, then they will need to dump it.
If they are bringing some sort of energy drink for after school, they may keep it in their locker until after school, so long as it is unopened.
These drinks are expensive, and I do not want to offend any parent giving their kids what they want to give them; however, for the sake of the school running smoothly, we are going to tighten this up, and I feel you deserve to know.
about 2 months ago, Jason Long
Students will be bringing home their school photos. If you didn't order a package, they have a proof sheet that you can still order from. Our picture re-take day is Tuesday, October 28th.
2 months ago, Lisa Sanborn
October 2nd is National Custodian Appreciation Day! At TWKDMS, we are blessed with a "Fantastic Four" custodians. They are the stewards of our school, keeping the taxpayers' investment in exceptional condition for generations to come. Thank you to Bob, Rob, Dana, and Scott for your ongoing and incredible work for our community and kids. Go Cougars!
2 months ago, Jason Long
FYI - The middle school will take the Fall NWEAs in the morning next Tuesday (10/07/25) and Thursday (10/09/25). Students will have the opportunity to earn points toward our school-wide system based on their level of achievement and demonstrated growth from last fall. Go Cougars
2 months ago, Jason Long
Change to today's Middle School Soccer games!
2 months ago, Sara Thurston
Here is our October lunch menu.
3 months ago, Lisa Sanborn
Today was the first session of "Reward Wednesday" this year at TWKDMS. For context, our students earn points weekly for good attendance, good grades, and several other behaviors that we want to encourage. Then, students can "spend" their points on the "prize drawers" or on "reward experiences." Today's reward experience was a fly fishing demonstration and lesson taught by Mr. Rainey and a few of his DHS students from the Region 9 Outdoor Leadership Program! It was awesome, and the kids loved it. This year, we will feature a different Region 9 program each month as a Reward Wednesday activity for our students to experience! A HUGE thank you and Go Cougars to our partners at Region 9 for this collaboration - we are feeling great about this addition to our rewards system. Go Cougars!
3 months ago, Jason Long
Our school picture day is on Tuesday, September 16th. Order envelopes were sent home last week, or you can order online.
3 months ago, Lisa Sanborn
Attention Parents/Guardians: Please join us for our Open House tomorrow night (9/4/25) from 5:30 to 7:00. Staff and community partners will be present and are excited to connect with you.
As indicated in the summer mailing, the Open House includes a mandatory technology safety presentation. A parent/guardian attending this presentation is a requirement before we can let a student take home a school iPad.
The technology meetings will start at 5:30, with new sessions starting every 20 minutes in the gym until 7:30 (with a break at 6:00 pm for the fall athletics meeting).
If you are unable to attend, arrangements can be made for you to view the presentation during the school day. Hope to see you there - Go Cougars!
3 months ago, Jason Long
A big "Go Cougars" to the TWKDMS students (Aubrey, Riley, and Gerrit) showing for Conant Acres in Canton. Everyone did an amazing job at the Windsor Fair, and a big set of wins for 7th grader Riley Keene with the Supreme Overall Champion Cow and the Supreme Champion Heifer in the youth shows! Moo Cougars! I mean, Go Cougars!
3 months ago, Jason Long
